Improvement in operating canal-lock gate-valves



w. THuM'As.

Uper'ting Canal-Lock Gate-Valves.

Patented May 5,1874.-

:UNITED STATEs WILLIAM THoMAs, or orrAvvA, rLLmors.

IMPROVEMENT IN OPERATING CANAL-LCCK GATE-VALVES..

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 150,445, dated May 5, 1874; application filed February 20, 1874.

To cZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM THoMAs, of

. Ottawa, in the county of La Salle and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in Canal-Lock Gates, of which the following is a` specification:

My invention consists in a novel lifting apparatus, specially adapted for raisin g the valves and letting them down with great ease and convenience, and in the least possible time,

taking into consideration that the power ot" one man only is generally available for the said performance 5 and in the combination,

tlniough the line c d, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is 'a vertical section taken through the line ej', F1g.1.

Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are detached pieces.

A is the body of the lock-gate, constructed of wood generally, the two iron valves B B covering square openings below. The valves B B have stems C C, which run through guides D D. Each valve B has attached to it, in recesses adapted to that purpose,-six rollers, g g g, running on the iron ways Zt h h. There is also an iron roller, i, over the middle of each openin g in the gate A, supporting1 the middle part of the valves B B. Four slides, jjj, hold the valves B B over the openings in the gate A. On the projecting arm of the gate A is attached the lifting apparatus E, consisting It will be seen that in turning either of the wheels Z Z the corresponding valve B will be raised or lowered, each acting independent of F. the other. rlhe levers a n have a slot litting -on the hubs of the wheels ZZ. also apro] ectingpin, s, which enters the notches Each lever has t t t in the wheels a n, when, by moving the lever u, the wheel Zis carried around, the pawls m m falling into the notches u a a in the wheels `Z Z, retaining the wheels in position until the lever n can be disengaged, and the pin s be placed into a new notch, t. The whole performance, as will be seen, takes place on the ground, either when the lock is open or when closed, and the peculiar arrangement of the parts gives a man a good opportunity to usev his power to the best advantage.

I do not claim as my invention the manner of passing a chain over the wheels Z Z and over pulleys in the guides D D, as explained, being' aware that this is an old device; but

Vhat I claim isrlhe'lifting apparatus E, consisting of the wheels Z Z, having notches t t t and u a a, and the slotted levers a a, provided with the pins s s, in combination with the valves B B, the whole being constructed and operated substantially as described. A y

VlLLIAM THOMAS. Witnesses:

E. Rosa, 1V. T. DICKEY. 

